August 2011, Issue 17
Getting to Know...
Christopher Goldsberry, Financial Aid Outreach Specialist, Chair of the UTSA Staff Council
1. In what capacities do you serve UTSA? How long have you worked at UTSA?
I currently serve as the on-campus Financial Aid Outreach Specialist. Additionally, I serve as the current Chair of the UTSA Staff Council and as a Foster, Homeless, and Unaccompanied Student Champion for at-risk youth. I began my career at UTSA as a Student Grader in the Classics Department, followed by a short period in the Enrollment Services Call Center, after which I began my current position; in all, I have been part of the UTSA family since 2007.
2. Please tell us a bit about your background – where are you from - what path brought you to UTSA?
I grew up in Tyler, Texas, and followed my family to San Antonio immediately after high school graduation. UTSA seemed like a wonderful school with a lot of potential to become something big, and I wanted to be a part of that success. My work as a Student Grader and in the Office of Student Financial Aid and Enrollment Services has ultimately convinced me that leadership within Higher Education, in particularly Student Affairs, is what I want to pursue for the rest of my career.
3. Do you have a personal philosophy regarding higher education and/or student affairs? Please describe.
I strongly believe that we are only as successful as our students are. In fact, I always say that “Our students’ success is our success.” Student success is what drives me and imbues me with a passion to create new initiatives which will further student success. We, as educators, are responsible for promoting leadership and a standard of excellence within our students, and the more students who graduate from UTSA in that mindset makes our own jobs worthwhile and highly fulfilling.
4. What do you like most about being at UTSA?
There are so many answers to this question, but ultimately, I would have to say the people. UTSA, in particular in Student Affairs, is akin to one large family. I am proud to serve alongside some of the finest, most dedicated, and hardworking people I’ve ever met. I think the communication plans that we have built between our offices serves as an example to other universities who may have less successful strategies for student success, and we should all be proud to be a part of such a strongly organized and led university with so many open doors for effective communication.
5. Would you like to share your personal and/or career goals with us?
While I truly love what I am doing now, someday I would love to advance in the ranks of Student Affairs so that I can be responsible for an even greater leadership role than the amazing opportunities I already have. I’m also interested in pursuing a Ph.D in Educational Leadership to help me further these career goals. UTSA’s Office of Student Affairs and Office of Community Services have some wonderful partnerships, and I would like to expand those collaborations in order to further our mission of Community Outreach, as that is a huge passion of mine. UTSA is very well known for giving back to the community and high-need families, and I want to play a definitive role in the continuance of those programs in the future.
6. Please tell us something about you we wouldn’t know.
I mentor several different students here at UTSA, primarily at-risk youth with no families, which takes up a lot of my time but is extremely rewarding. I teach them simple life skills which they never learned, such as budgeting, shopping for groceries and textbooks cheaply, how to do laundry, study skills, and a variety of other important skills. So many of these at-risk students need good mentors while they are here at UTSA, and, under the direction of Dr. Harriett Romo, we are looking at starting an on-campus mentoring organization which will match faculty and staff up with one or two students in need of guidance. After all, one good mentor can mean the difference between student success and ultimate graduation or an increased drop-out rate!
Visiting With...
UTSA Staff becomes a U.S. Citizen
Congratulations to Claudia Giliberti, from the University Career Center who received her long awaited U.S. Citizenship on August 4th, 2011. Claudia is originally from Bari, Italy and works as a career counselor with business students. Every semester, Claudia collaborates with another counselor and an immigration attorney to teach international students the process of conducting job searches in the United States.